Lemon Loaf

 

Having a couple of quick bread loaves in the freezer is good insurance for busy days or weeks when there is no time to bake. Date Loaf and this Lemon Loaf are my usuals. Lately, I've been craving the fresh sharpness of lemon and have made the recipe twice in the past month or so. Most recently I doubled the recipe and made four small loaves which are good for giving away to friends or neighbours. The lemon and sugar glaze on top really adds to the flavour, and I wouldn't recommend skipping it. 

Lemon Loaf (makes one large loaf or two small ones) 

1/2 cup (125 g) soft butter

1 cup (250 g) sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup (125 ml) milk

1 1/2 cups (375 g) flour

1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder

1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt

grated rind of 1 lemon

Glaze: 

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup (50 ml) sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 C). 

In large bowl, cream butter, add sugar, then one egg. Beat in second egg. Stir in milk.

In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and lemon rind. Pour into the butter/egg mixture and stir just to combine. 

Spoon into greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

While the loaf is baking, prepare the glaze by combining the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat and stir just to dissolve sugar.

Remove from oven and pour glaze evenly over immediately. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and cool on a rack. 

Date Loaf

 

"Company's Coming" is the title for 200 cookbooks published in Canada beginning in the 1980s by Jean Paré, a caterer. The series included Appetizers, Salads, Light Recipes, Pies, etc. I pared down my own collection of them several years ago, but hung on to a number of them. In "Muffins and More" there are a host of delicious recipes, this date loaf among them. It's a family favourite. I like to double the recipe and make one for immediate eating and another for the freezer. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. 

Date Loaf (makes one 9 x 5 x 3 loaf)

• 1 1/4 cups chopped dates 
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

   Combine the above ingredients. Stir and cool.

• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

In large bowl, beat egg lightly. Add sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat to mix. Stir in cooled date mixture.

In separate bowl mix:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Add to date mixture. Stir to mix. Stir in:

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Pour into greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Let stand for 20 minutes, then bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. 

 

 

Lemon Shortbread

When spring comes I crave bright citrus flavours. With a tangy lemon glaze, these buttery shortbread cookies melt in the mouth and satisfy the desire for a fresh taste. I use the same basic recipe as my Cranberry Orange Shortbread, but substitute lemon for the orange, and add a lemon glaze.

Lemon Shortbread

1 cup butter
3/4 cup icing sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Cream together butter and icing sugar. 

3. Add lemon rind.

4. Stir together the flour and cornstarch, then add to the butter mixture. Cover and chill for about 30 minutes.

5. Roll to desired thickness. I like a crisper, thinner cookie, so mine are about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick. 

6. Cut as desired. These are cut in rectangles, about 3 inches by 1 1/2 inches.

7. Bake on parchment lined baking sheets for 15-18 minutes or until pale golden brown. 

8. Cool on a rack, then glaze with Lemon Glaze. 

Lemon Glaze

1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Stir together. You should have a smooth mixture that is spreadable, but not too runny. 

Cranberry Orange Shortbread

My eldest daughter is the one who found this recipe when she was first married. We all loved it, and I've made the cookies every year since. The original recipe calls for the addition of chopped white chocolate to the dough, but I found I preferred it best without the white chocolate. 

They keep well and taste even better. Buttery, with a hint of citrus, and some chewy tartness in the cranberries. 

Cranberry Orange Shortbread

1/2 pound butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup icing sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. 

Cream butter and icing sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat until light. Add the orange zest, vanilla, and cranberries. 

Add the flour and cornstarch and mix well. 

Chill the dough for about 20 minutes if it is too soft to handle. Roll mixture into small balls and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Press the tops of the cookies with a fork that has been dipped in flour to prevent sticking. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until pale golden around the edges. Cool on a baking rack. Store tightly covered, or frozen. 

Note:  The original recipe called for the dough to be rolled to about 1/4 inch thickness and then cut out, but I found that the edges were often ragged because of the cranberries, so I form them into balls. Rolling is certainly an option. 

Chocolate Pecan Brownie Kisses

 

It seems that more and more people are eating gluten-free (not me!) for medical or other reasons. I like to offer something gluten free, but I'm not prepared to fill my pantry with all kinds of different flours that I'll use infrequently. So I look for things that are naturally gluten-free. I was going through my recipe box and found this recipe. I have no idea where it came from.

These are easy to make and quite delectable, with a brownie-ish texture in the center. I think they could be frozen, too. 

Chocolate Pecan Brownie Kisses (makes about 36)

6 oz semisweet chocolate (I used Baker's chocolate squares)
2 egg whites, at room temperature
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate squares (6 oz) in a double boiler or microwave. Cool slightly. 

Whip the egg whites with the salt, vinegar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, keep beating until stiff peaks form. 

Pour the melted chocolate over top, then the chocolate chips and pecans. Fold in as lightly as possible. A few white streaks will remain. The batter will be very sticky.

Use two spoons to drop blobs of batter onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake in the middle of the oven, for 8-12 minutes, until cookies lose their wet look, and hold their shape when you gently lift them. Let rest on cookie sheets for 1-2 minutes. (You can transfer them to wire racks for further cooling, but I just let mine cool on the parchment lined cookie sheets. 

Store in airtight containers in fridge for up to 5 days. 

Platz aka Plum Cake

 Platz is a Mennonite treat baked often by my mother and my aunts. It highlights fresh summer fruits like plums, peaches, apricots and berries, but any fruit can be used. Best eaten the day it's made, although a slice for breakfast tastes pretty good, too. In Germany, this is known as Plummen Kuchen - Plum Cake.

Fruit Platz

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup cream (light, or even milk)
1 egg
 Fresh fruit: Use pitted cherries, plum slices, apricot halves, apples or peaches

Mix together the flour, baking powder and sugar. Add the butter and mix with your fingers to form fine crumbs. Stir together the egg and cream, then add to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened.
Pat out (flour your hands) onto a greased baking sheet (15 x 10 inches). I prefer lining my baking sheet with parchment paper. You want the dough to be fairly thin, but it doesn't necessarily have to fill out the entire baking sheet. 
Place a single layer of fruit over the dough. Top with the Crumb Topping, known as Ruebel.

Ruebel (Crumb Topping)

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons butter
Cream

Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder together, then rub in the butter and add cream to make coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the fruit. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
 

Applesauce Muffins

Applesauce is great on its own or with some yogurt, perhaps on pancakes. I was looking for a way to use up some of my home-canned applesauce and found this recipe on Epicurious. I adapted it and was very pleased with the result. Tender, buttery, a hint of cinnamon warmth, and a bit of sweetness on top. Perfect for breakfast or a snack, with tea or coffee.

Applesauce Muffins (makes 12 medium muffins)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated, if possible)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup melted butter
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts, or 1/2 cup plumped raisins

Cinnamon sugar for topping (2 Tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon)

Grease a muffin tin, or line with paper liners. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir well, breaking up any lumps in the sugar. 

In medium bowl, lightly beat eggs until whites and yolks are combined. Add applesauce and melted butter. Stir well.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add optional ingredients, if desired. Stir until just combined. Do not over-mix. Spoon into the muffin tins. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until set and browned on top, 18 - 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. But do eat them warm - delicious!

Gluten and Dairy-Free Cookies

In the past couple of years, several of our friends have developed severe allergies to wheat and dairy products. Desserts are the most difficult items to find recipes for. I made these last week and they were a hit. No flour, no dairy, and no added fat, other than from the nuts. Easy and I think they are pretty tasty, too. I found them scouting about the web, on a number of sites.

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I used the Fry's brand we have in Canada)
3 cups icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
pinch of salt
2 3/4 cups of coarsely chopped pecans, lightly toasted and cooled
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 T vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 or 4 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

Sift together the icing sugar and cocoa powder to remove lumps. Add salt and pecans and stir to mix. Dump in the egg whites and vanilla and slowly stir to combine. Do not over mix, but ensure that all the sugar and cocoa powder is evenly moistened. 

Spoon batter onto prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of room (2-3 inches) for expansion. Bake for 15 minutes, or until small thin cracks appear on the surface of the cookies. Let cool completely before removing from the paper.

These keep well for several days, but get chewier as the days pass. Not a bad thing, in my opinion. 

The recipe said this will make 12 4-inch cookies, but I made about 25 2-3 inch cookies. Walnuts or almonds could be used in place of the pecans.

Apple Pastry Squares

In the 1970s, Better Homes and Gardens published a series of cookbooks. In hardcover, the book titles included "Salads," "Cooking for Two," "Meals on a Budget," and "Homemade Cookies." My mother and my aunt had a lot of those books and I loved looking through them. When I married, I collected a few of my own, which I still have, including the last one listed, from which this recipe is taken.

I noted that I first made the recipe on April 9, 1980, and put a star beside it. I'd give it the same rating today, especially with the changes I've made. The pastry is flaky and crisp, the apple filling not too sweet, and the drizzled icing adds the last layer of flavor. Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee for dessert. Some like it with ice cream, I prefer it plain.

Regarding what kind of apples to use - I tend to use whatever is in the fridge. Granny Smiths are good and tart. Today I used a couple of small apples scavenged from an abandoned tree, plus some organic Honey Crisp apples from the store. 

Apple Pastry Squares


For the pastry:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, separated
about 2/3 cup milk


In a food processor, combine the salt and flour. Cut the butter into chunks, place on top of the flour and pulse until fine crumbs form. Place the egg yolk in a measuring cup and add milk to make 3/4 cup. Whisk slightly, pour over the flour/butter mixture and pulse just until the dough comes together. Wrap in waxed paper and chill about 10 minutes.


Filling:
1 cup granola (or Corn Flakes)
4 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon


Divide dough in half. Cut a sheet of parchment paper that will fit into a 15.5 x 10.5 x 1 inch baking sheet with some overlap. On the paper, roll one half of the dough into a rectangle, about 15 x 10 inches. The dough is quite soft and fragile, but mends easily. Add flour to the surface as needed to prevent sticking. Lift the parchment paper and dough and place into the baking pan. 


Sprinkle the granola over the pastry in the pan, leaving about 1/2 inch free around the edges. Top with the apple slices. Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the apples. 


Roll the remaining pastry and place over the apples. Seal the edges. Cut small slits in the top of the pastry. Beat the egg white until frothy, brush over the pastry top. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. The pastry will be golden brown and the apples tender.


Glaze:
1 cup icing (powdered) sugar
3-4 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


While the pastry is still warm, drizzle the glaze over top. 

Blueberry Scones

Oooh, these were GOOD! Tender scones with hits of sweet blueberries and a hint of lemon in the glaze. A perfect Saturday morning breakfast with 3-minute eggs alongside.

The recipe is courtesy of Tyler Florence, found via Food Network. My only adaptation was to use about half of the glaze and exchange 1 cup of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour. My nod to making these a wee bit healthier. Also, I rarely use unsalted butter. It's just too pricey.

Blueberry Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cup whole wheat flour plus 1 cup all-purpose flour)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
1 cup heavy cream, plus a bit more for brushing the scones
1 cup fresh blueberries, washed and dried

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add the butter and cut in with two knives or a pastry blender. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Add the blueberries. Fold everything together just to combine the wet and dry ingredients. Be gentle so as not to crush the blueberries or you will have very BLUE scones.

Pat the dough out onto a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 1 1/4 inch thick. Cut into squares, about 3 inches, then halve the squares to make triangles. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with a little cream. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool a bit before applying the glaze.

Lemon Glaze

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 lemon, zest finely grated
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Combine the lemon juice and icing sugar in a microwave safe bowl. Stir until smooth. Add the lemon zest and butter. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth, then drizzle over the scones. Let set a minute before serving. (if you can wait)

Brownie Bites

We've moved into our new home and are finding our way around a new town. It always takes awhile - each grocery store is different, driving means paying strict attention to where I am, unlike the automatic "turn right" "turn left" of familiar places.

Baking something always means I'm settling in. The children and my parents are coming for Easter weekend, so I'm filling the pantry and the freezer with good things to eat so I won't spend all my time in the kitchen. Cinnamon bun dough is in the breadmaker.

These little brownies are just two bites - just the right size for a rich bit of chocolate sweetness. And they are easy to make.

Brownie Bites

1/2 cup butter
4 oz semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (or a combination)
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips (white, semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
18 mini cupcake liners (I use my small tart pans for two bite brownies and get 36 small brownies)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini muffin pans with paper liners

Melt butter and chocolate. Reserve.

Beat eggs and sugar until creamy. Stir in melted butter and chocolate. Add flour, cocoa and salt. Stir in chocolate chips.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

Bake 15 minutes or just until the tops are firm to the touch. Cool, and try to eat just one.